Chapter 4

It was already dark outside when Lois left 'The Daily Planet' to go home. It had been a busy news day and she had had her hands full at work. Nevertheless she was not satisfied. Her little search about Luthor had had her coming up empty-handed.

Olsen's statement about why Clark Luthor would have been there had given her a weird feeling. And if he really had no connection with the bank than his appearance there really did seem rather strange. A guy like him wouldn't have simply walked by.

People with money and power always had somewhere to be or something to do and even if they had some time off they wouldn't just be walking the streets of Metropolis. No, Lois' instincts as a reporter were telling her that there was something more to this.

That, however, scared the hell out of her. She had been investigating something concerning the Luthors lately and she couldn't help but wonder if Clark Luthor's appearance could have anything to do with that.

Three weeks ago Lois had received an anonymous message that had told her that there had been more about Lilian Luthor's death than the world knew. Right now the world believed that Lilian Luthor had had a horrible accident in her own home when she had tripped on her way down the stairs.

Her source, however, claimed Mrs. Luthor's death had been far from being an 'accident'. At first Lois hadn't been sure whether or not she should investigate the matter, but – as always – her curiosity had gotten the best of her.

She wanted to find out who had sent her that message – and whether or not the claim of her secret source hit home. Though Lois had tried to be as careful as possible, maybe the Luthors had gotten wind of her little investigation. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought.

That wasn't good. Noone involved himself with Luthor business and got away unscathed. Why again did she always have to stick her nose where it didn't belong? The General had warned her more than once that 'curiosity killed the cat' when he had found her snooping around the base, trying to hear about one of their missions.

She smiled at the memory of her father when suddenly she heard a noise behind her.

'Oh, this is so not happening!' Clark thought as he watched four men approach Lois Lane from the shadows. Normally he wouldn't really care. Things like this happened all the time. If Lionel had taught him anything then it was that the world in itself was bad, that everyone was out to get you and that the only one you should care about was yourself.

Every other person was going to stab you in the back anyway.

But right now he needed Lois Lane, or more accurately: her research. And he didn't want to see his new source of entertainment killed so soon. Originally his plan had been to follow her home and 'accidentally' meet her in front of her apartment. He had planned to start a conversation, about the robbery or something else – the topic didn't matter.

He would have tried to weep his way into her life, until he found out where she kept the files connected with her investigation about his mother's death.

Well, now he would have to make a different approach. He watched as Lois Lane turned around and looked at the men behind her. "You have got to be kidding me! Seriously? Listen, guys: Official warning - I'm a third degree black belt. That means I can't be held liable for any funeral costs."

The men laughed, the sound echoing off the stone walls of the alley. "Whatever you say, sugar." one of them said and the other snickered.

"Oh, don't you 'sugar' me! Why don't you and your friends find yourselves someone else on who's nerves you can get!" Lois retorted, her demeanor annoyed.

"But you're the one we wanna... play with." Suddenly they attacked, all of them pouncing on Lois as if she were a bunny among wolves.

Lois hit one of the men in the face, snapping his head back, when Clark thought that it was time to intervene. In a split second he had one of the men lying on the ground, unconscious. When he turned around to get another man off Lois, he saw something that made him stand still.

The fist of one of the men collided with Lois' cheek, sending her flying back a few feet... and giving Clark a feeling he'd never had before.